Prefabricated cast reinforced framed concrete wall section with clips to attach the frame to the reinforcing

ABSTRACT

A prefabricated building includes prefabricated wall, ceiling, roof and gable sections, stringer members, partition beams and various arrangements for interconnecting the abovementioned parts to form an assembled structure. An adjustable molding table is provided for use in manufacturing the aforementioned prefabricated sections. In constructing a building, the prefabricated sections are transported to a building site and there mounted and assembled on a foundation. During assembly, various steps are performed to provide a finished structure. Strongbacks are provided for moving the prefabricated sections about at the manufacturing and building sites.

United States Patent 11 1 Ary 1451 Aug. 27, 1974 1 PREFABRICATED CAST REINFORCED FRAMED WALL SECTION WITH CLIPS TO ATTACH THE FRAME TO THE REINFORCING [76] Inventor: Thomas L. Ary, 1916 Underwood Rd., Holtville, Calif. 92250 [22] Filed: Nov. 15, 19,72

[21] Appl. No.: 306,525

[52] US. Cl 52/601, 52/221, 52/712 [51] Int. Cl. E04c 2/04, E04c 5/18 [58] Field of Search 52/600, 601, 606, 228,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,031,926 7/1912 Hansbrough 52/601 2,128,375 8/1938 Millard 52/228 2.176.213 10/1939 Duffy 52/601 3,072,227 1/1963 Baker 52/582 3,449,879 1/1969 Bloom 52/309 S/l973 Baruzzini 5 2/586 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 221,003 4/1910 Germany 52/228 Primary Examiner-Henry C. Sutherland Assistant Examiner-James L. Ridgill, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or Firm1-Iuebner & Worrel [57] ABSTRACT A prefabricated building includes prefabricated wall, ceiling, roof and gable sections, stringer members, partition beams and various arrangements for interconnecting the abovementioned parts to form an assembled structure. An adjustable molding table is provided for use in manufacturing the aforementioned prefabricated sections. In constructing a building, the prefabricated sections are transported to a building site and there mounted and assembled on a foundation. During assembly, various steps are performed to provide a finished structure. Strongbacks are provided for moving the prefabricated sections about at the manufacturing and building sites.

1 Claim, 45 Drawing Figures PAIENIEB sum 'uzur'w PAIiNll-jmnszmn snmosurw PATENIEflwsznan 3.831 335 saw 11 or 15 lava-H34.

PREFABRICATED CAST REINFORCED FRAMED WALL SECTION WITH CLIPS TO ATTACH THE FRAME TO THE REINFORCING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the construction of buildings. More particularly, the present invention relates to the manufacture and assembly of prefabricated components to form buildings, structures and the like.

Heretofore, it has been known to construct prefabricated buildings and structures. The purpose behind the prefabricated construction of buildings is to reduce building costs. Therefore, it is important that the prefabricated components and parts used to construct prefabricated structures be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, readily transportable to building sites and easily assembled to form the building structures. Unfortunately, prior art prefabricated building systems have generally not satisfied all these requirements and thus the economic benefits of using prefabricated components and parts have not been fully realized. Further, many arrangements for constructing prefabricated structures are unsightly. Additionally, some prefabricated building systems are only .designed for building structures with rooms of predetermined sizes in predetermined locations and are not arranged to permit variations in individual structures built.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention It is additionally an object of the present invention to provide improved arrangements for interlocking building components, such as wall, ceiling, roof and gable sections, to form building structures.

It is another object of the present invention to provide improved method and apparatus for constructing buildings in an economical and efficient manner by using prefabricated components which are convenient to transport to work sites and easy to assemble to form sightly building structures which may be tailored to suit the tastes of individual builders.

It is still another'object of the present invention to provide an improved strongback for moving prefabricated building sections from one place to another.

In accomplishing these and other objects, there is provided in accordance with the present invention prefabricated wall, ceiling, roof and gable sections. Also provided are stringer members for supporting the assembled roof sections, partition beams for supporting adjacent ceiling sections at places where no bearing prefabricated sections. In constructing a prefabricated house or building in accordance with the present invention, the prefabricated sections are formed on the molding table at a manufacturing site, transported from the manufacturing site to the building site, and mounted and assembled on a foundation at the building site. During the assembly of the prefabricated structure various finishing steps are performed so that a finished house suitable'for moving into is provided. Additionally, strongbacks are provided for moving the prefabricated sections from place to place at the manufacturing and building sites.

Additional objects of the present invention reside in the specific construction of the exemplary prefabricated sections and the building formed thereby and also in their methods of formation and/or assembly hereinafter particularly described in the specification and shown in the several drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of an adjustable molding table arranged for use in manufacturing prefabricated wall, ceiling, roof and gable sections of a building structure in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the molding table of FIG. 1 illustrating assembled thereon a skeletal wall section according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a view taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 4 illustrating the prefabricated wall section filled with wall filler material.

FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of another skeletal wall section according to the present invention which has incorporated therein various conduits.

FIG. 7 is a view taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a view taken along the line 88 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a view taken along the line 9-9 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 10 is a view taken along the line l0-10 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 11 is a view taken along the line ll-l1 of FIG. 6

FIG. 12 is a view partially in section taken looking along the line l2-l2 of FIG. 6 illustrating the wall section filled with wall tiller material.

FIG. 13 is a view taken along the line 13-13 of FIG. 6 illustrating hanger slots formed in the side frame member of a wall section.

FIG. 14 is a perspective-view of a locking bar for interlocking two side frame members of adjacently posi tioned wall sections.

FIG. 15 is a partially cutaway top view of two wall sections according to the present invention interconnected to fonna straight wall.

FIG. 16 is a partially cutaway top view illustrating one wall section according to the present invention interconnected to extend from the side of another such wall section. l

FIG. 17 is a partially cutaway top view of two wall sections according to the present invention interconnected to form a corner.

FIG. 18 is a side elevation view ofa portion of still another wall section according to the present invention partially cutaway to illustrate a door frame included therein mounted on a foundation.

FIG. 19 is a view taken along the line l9-19 of FIG. 18.

FIG. 20 is a view taken along the line 20-20 of FIG. 18.

FIG. 21 is a side elevation view ofa portion of yet another wall section according to the present invention cutaway to illustrate a window frame included therein.

FIG. 22 is a view taken along the line 2222 of FIG. 21.

FIG. 23 is a view taken along the line 2323 of FIG. 21.

FIG. 24 is a view taken along the line 24-24 of FIG. 21.

FIG. 25 is a top plan view of two interconnected prefabricated ceiling sections according to the present invention.

FIG. 26 is a view taken along the line 26-26 of FIG. 25.

FIG. 27 is a view taken along the line 2727 of FIG. 25.

FIG. 28 is a top plan view of a prefabricated roof section according to the present invention.

FIG. 29 is a view taken along the line 2929 of FIG. 28.

FIG. 30 is a view taken along the line 30-30 of FIG. 29.

FIG. 31 is a view taken along the line 31-31 of FIG. 28.

FIG. 32 is a perspective view of a prefabricated housing structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 33 is a partially cutaway side elevation view of the lower portion of one wall section of the housing structure of FIG; 32.

FIG. 34 is an elevation view partially in section of one ceiling section mounted on a wall section in the housing structure of FIG. 32.

FIG. 35 is a view taken along the line 3535 of FIG. 34.

FIG. 36 is an end elevation view partially in section of the roof of the housing structure of FIG. 32.

FIG. 37 is an enlarged scale view of the portion of FIG. 36 encircled by the line 37.

FIG. 38 is a partially cutaway end elevation view of the gable of the housing structure of FIG. 32.

FIG. 38a is a view taken along the line 38a38a of FIG. 38.

FIG. 39 is an elevation view partially in section of a partition beam mounted on a wall section in the housing structure of FIG. 32.

FIG. 40 is a view taken along the line 40-40 of FIG. 39.

FIG. 41 is a side elevation view of a strongback for moving prefabricated wall sections according to the present invention shown connected in engagement with a side wall section.

FIG. 42 is a view taken along the line 4242 of FIG. 41.

FIG. 43 is a perspective view of a stringer.

FIG. 44 is an exploded perspective view of a bolt mechanism for securing a roof section on a stringer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIGS. l5, a molding table generally designated by the numeral 10 is there shown. The table 10 has a lower frame portion 11 and a top table portion 12 tiltably mounted thereon. The frame 11 preferably includes a plurality of laterally spaced apart rectangularly shaped upright sections 13 interconnected and braced by cross members 14-. Forward and rear sets of casters 15 are mounted on the bottom of each upright section 13 so that the molding table 10 may be rolled from one place to another.

The table top 12 is preferably rectangular having flat upper and lower surfaces 16 and 17, respectively. Arch-shaped ears l8 defining pivot structure are secured to the lower surface 17 in position to interfit within fork structure 19 defined on the upper ends of the uprights l3. Horizontally aligned holes are formed through the ears 18 and fork structure 19, and a pivot rod 20 extends through these horizontally aligned holes to pivotally connect the table top 12 on the frame 11. As shown in the drawings, the fork structure 19 is defined along one edge of the frame 11 and the cars 18 are positioned on the top 12 so that the table top 12 can be tilted from a horizontal at rest position to a substantially vertical position. Mounted along the other edge of the frame 11 is latch mechanism 25. The latch mechanism 25 functions when latched to hold the table top in a horizontal position and is unlatched by moving handle 26 downward as indicated by the arrow. The table top 12 is shown in phantom in FIG. 1 being tilted in the direction indicated by the arrow from its horizontal position towards an upright position.

The table top 12 has a plurality of holes 21 formed in its flat upper surface 16, as shown in FIG. 5, into which pegs or pins 22 may be inserted. The pegs 22 extend through molding form members 23 and function when inserted in the holes 2]. to secure the forms 23 in selected positions on the table top 12. By positioning the forms 23 as shown in FIG. 4, a pattern or template for casting a selected building section may be defined. The forms 23 are positioned to define the outer perimeter of the building section to be cast and the side walls of the forms which are positioned inwardly preferably extend vertically so that the frame of the building section to be cast rests stably thereagainst. It is noted that a plurality of suitably positioned holes 21 are formed in the table top surface 16 so that by use of appropriately dimensioned forms 23 a pattern may be defined for any selected prefabricated building section, such as a wall section, a roof section. a ceiling section or a gable section. It is also noted that the height of the form members 23 is no greater than necessary to hold the frame members of the building sections to be cast in place during molding so that conduits and flanges may be incorporated in the building sections which extend outside of the building section frame members.

Skeletal wall sections generally designated by the numerals 30 are shown in FIGS. 4 and 6. The wall sections 30 each have an outer frame preferably made of aluminum which includes a top cap or frame member 31, a bottom plate or frame member 32 and a pair of identical side frame members 34. The skeletal wall section 30 in FIG. 4 is shown assembled on the molding table top surface 16 with the frame members 31, 32 and 34 held in place to define the wall section to be cast by the appropriately positioned molding forms 23. The wall section 30 in FIG. 6 is not shown assembled on the table top surface 16 but in forming this prefabricated wall section 30 or any of the hereinafter described prefabricated building sections the molding table would zvrsfsrahlx .s q lqxsq- I is n e that while m num frame members are described for purposes of illustration the wall section frame members could be made of any suitable material.

Positioned to extend between the top and bottom members 31 and 32 of each wall section are a plurality of preferably aluminum cylindrical hollow stud tubes 35, selected ones of which are designated. The hollow stud tubes 35 are preferably held in parallel disposition with respect to each other and are held in place on the upper frame members 31 by means of inwardly extending cylindrical flanges 36, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, which fit within the hollow stud tubes 35. Circular holes 37 are formed through the top frame member 31 in alignment with the hollow interior of the stud tubes 35 to provide a path of access to the cylindrical channels defined by the stud tubes 35. The flanges 36 illustrated are formed by punching or pushing the circular holes 37 inwardly through the frame member 31, thereby to form the flanges 36 by the portion of the frame members 31 pushed inwardly.

The stud tubes 35 are held in place on the bottom frame members 32, as shown in FIGS. 5, 8 and 9, by means of a cup 39 having an inwardly extending flange. The flange defines a cylindrical socket into which the lower end of the stud tubes 35 fit or seat. The cups 39 are secured by rivets 40 to the base frame members 32. May be molded into some materials that may be used.

With the stud tubes 35 in position between the upper and lower frame members 31 and 32, the end frame members 34 are positioned between opposite ends of the frame members 31 and 32. The end frame members 34 each have inwardly extending flanges 41 on their ends which fit against the inner surfaces of the upper and lower frame members 31 and 32. The frame members 34 are secured in place between the frame members 31 and 32 by riveting the flanges 41 thereto. With the frame members 34 riveted in place on the frame members 31 and 32, clamps 42 are passed around the stud tubes 35 nearest to the frame members 34. These clamps 42 are attached by rivets 43 to the inside surfaces of the frame members 34 and function to securely anchor the end frame members 34 in place.

With the end frame members 34 secured in the wall sections 30, crossed cables 44,are attached, as shown in F IG. 4, between the top and bottom frame members 31 and 32 to pull the skeletal frame of the wall section into a true rectangular shape. Reinforcing wire 45, plastic mesh, or other suitable material, is intermeshed between or passed around or over the stud tubes 35 to form reinforcing structure within the wall section 30. With the reinforcing structure in place, a wall filler material 46 is poured into the wall section 30 to the level shown in FIG. 5.

It is noted that the wall filler material 46 employed may be any suitable material or combination of materials, such as vermiculite or other expanded mica product, asbestos waste, spun glass, plastic bubbles and/or I styrofoam. It is also noted that the table top surface 16 defines the outside wall portion of the wall section 30 and that the wall filler material 46 is poured within the frame defined by the frame members 31, 32 and 34 to a point slightly below, such as :4 inch below, the upper edges of the frame members 31, 32 and 34 to leave room for a coat of plaster or other covering material for the inside wall surface. The wall filler material 46 which should be quick setting is then allowed to set. Once the material 46 has set, plaster or another suitable wall covering is applied to the upper surface of the wall filler 46 to form a smooth finished inside wall surface. After the wall section 30 has completely set, it may be readily removed from the molding table 10 by tilting the table top 12 in the manner shown in phantom in FIG. 1.

During the transporting of a prefabricated wall section 30 to a building site,'the finished inside wall covering should be covered over by a protective material, a

such as a plastic covering which could be peeled off, to protect it from being scratched or otherwise damaged. Further, while the above described prefabricated wall section 30 had an inside and outside wall surface, interior wall sections 30 may be formed by laying a inch spacer on the table surface 16 within the skeletal wall frame so that a space for receiving an inside wall cover ing is defined on the downwardly facing wall side as well as on the upwardly facing wall side. After the coating of plaster applied to the one side of the wall section 30 dries the wall section 30 is turned over on the table 10 to plaster the other wall side. It is noted that in order to provide a better surface for the plaster to adhere to that holes could be punched in the filler material 46 before it has fully set. Further, at the time of casting any of the prefabricated building sections herein described, the table surface 16 and any other necessary molding parts are coated with a conventional material suitable to isolate and separate the filler material 46 from the molding forms. Also any unused peg holes 21 into which the filler material 46 might run are plugged or covered over.

Referring specifically toFlG. 6, the wall section 30 there shown in addition to being constructed like the wall section shown in FIG. 4 also has incorporated therein various conduits identified by the numerals 50-54. The conduit 50 is for conducting water to a toilet. The conduit 51 is made up of upper and lower vertically aligned sections 51a and 51b and defines a sewervent arrangement. The conduits 52-53 are pipes for hot and cold water. The conduit 54 has an electrical outlet box 55 connected on its lower end and defines a channel through which electrical leads 56 are run to the outlet box 55.

One end of each of the conduits 50-54 extends through the upper frame member 31 preferably to a point slightly above it. The other ends of the conduits 50-54 are positioned at predetermined locations in the wall section 30 and are clamped thereat by clamping arrangements 57.

Each clamping arrangement 57 shown in FIG. 6 is made up of a rigid cross bar or member 58 having spring clamps 59 riveted on its ends to extend from the same side thereof. The length of each cross member 59 is appropriately dimensioned with respect to the hori zontal distance between stud tubes 35 so that the spring clamps 59 are positioned toengage and clamp over adjacent stud tubes 35. Bulges or protuberances 60 are fonned on the stud tubes 35 for vertically supporting the clamping arrangements 57. The protuberances 60 are formed at appropriate positions in the stud tubes 35 below the position of the spring clamps 59 so that the spring clamps 59 rest thereon and are vertically supported thereby. The protuberances or projections 60 may be formed by inserting a suitable tool into a stud tube 35 through the opening 37 in the upper frame member 31 and then operating the tool to push out the portion of the wall of the stud tube located at the point a protuberance 60 is desired.

Appropriately sized clamps 61 which form part of the clamping arrangements 57 are fitted around each of the conduits 5053. These clamps 61 are riveted to their associated cross members 58 to secure the conduits 50-53 thereto. The clamping arrangement 57 securing the conduits 50 and 51 in place in the wall section 30 is shown in FIG. while FIG. 12 illustrates the clamping structure 57 securing the conduit 52 in place. The electrical outlet box 55 connected to the conduit 54 is secured to the cross bar 58 of its associated clamping structure 57 preferably by rivets 62, as shown in FIG.

11. The cross bar 58 to which the outlet box 55 is secured preferably is bent to have a set back portion 63 upon which the outlet box 55 is secured. The cross bar portion 63 is set back to hold the front of the outlet box 55 substantially flush with the side wall surface of the wall section 30, as shown in FIG. 11.

FIG. 12 also illustrates a cavity 64 formed in the wall section around the lower end of the conduit 52. The cavity 64 is formed by placing an appropriately shaped plug or molding form around the conduit end and then pouring the wall filler material 46. After the filler material 46 has substantially set, the form is removed from its position around the conduit end to leave the cavity 64 in the wall section. It is noted that to permit easy removal the molding form is coated with a conventional material or substance which operates to isolate it from the filler material 46. The cavity 64 is formed in the wall section 30 around the lower end of the conduit 52 in order to provide the space necessary to connect the pipe of a lavatory thereto. A similar type of cavity would be formed in the prefabricated wall section 30 around the lower end of the conduit 53.

In order to provide a suitable support for mounting a wash basin on the wall section 30. a transversely extending hanger plate or member 65is bolted onto the stud tubes adjacent the water pipes 52 and 53. The hanger plate 65 is positioned in the wall section 30 to be flush with its side wall surface. A lavatory may be mounted on the hanger plate 65 by being bolted thereto.

It is noted that wherever desired or necessary mounting plates similar to the hanger plate 65 could be included in a prefabricated wall section 30. Further. it is noted that cavities would be formed in the wall section 30 wherever needed, such as adjacent the ends of the conduits 50 and 51 positioned within the wall section 30 by using an appropriately dimensioned removable molding plug or plugs. Also. a plug or cover would be placed over the electrical outlet box 55 at the time of pouring the wall filler material 46 to prevent the material 46 from running therein.

Referring to FIG. 13, one of the side frame members 34 of a wall section 30 is there shown. The frame member 34 has a substantially flat outer face 66 with hanger slots 67 formed therein. The hanger slots 67 are formed in the frame member 34 at spaced apart points along its vertical length, preferably have uniform widths and extend substantially vertically parallel to the side edges of the frame member 34. Secured on the inside surface of the frame member 34 to extend the length thereof is an inwardly extending cover or envelope 68. As shown in FIGS. l517, the cover 68 defines a cavity ad- 5 jacent the hanger slots 67 into which locking hooks 69 of a locking bar 33 interfit. The cover 68 is designed to extend the entire length of the side frame member 34 and functions to prevent filling material 46 from flowing into the cavity defined adjacent the hanger slots 67.

The locking hooks 69 formed on the locking bar 33 are shown in FIG. 14. The hooks 69 are positioned in vertically spaced apart positions along the length of the bar 33 to correspond in position and alignment with the complementary hanger slots 67. The locking bar 33 has preferably a rectangular cross-section, a length approximately equal to the length of the side frame members 34, and is dimensioned for longitudinal insertion into the envelopes 68. The locking hooks 69 are uniformly dimensioned for engaging and mating with the hanger slots 67, as shown in FIGS. 15, 16 and 17, and extend substantially perpendicularly from the flat face 70 of the locking bar 33.

Each locking hook 69 is preferably formed by a shoulder 71 having a downwardly extending arm 72 depending therefrom. The shoulder 71 and arm 72 are of a uniform thickness less than the width of the hanger slots 67 so that they may be inserted therein. The downwardly extending arm 72 has a tip portion 72a and a body portion 72b. The body portion 72b interconnects the shoulder 71 and the tip 72a. The shoulder 71 and body portion 72b define a downwardly opening locking slot 73 of uniform dimension sized to receive and tightly hold together two side frame members 34. The hook tip 72a is shaped to slope inwardly and upwardly and functions to guide the side frame members 34 into the locking slots 73.

FIGS. 15, 16 and 17 each illustrate two prefabricated wall sections 30 tightly joined together by means of the interlocking mechanism provided by the locking bar 33 and side frame members 34. The side frame members 34'are locked together by the locking bar 33 by positioning the locking bar 33 in one of the envelopes 68, laterally inserting the locking hooks 69 in hanger slots 67 and then pushing downwardly on the locking bar 33. Thereby, the sloped or slanted tip portions 72a of the locking hooks 69 are guided into the hanger slots 67 to lock the hooks 69 on the side frame members 34 and the flat surfaces 66 of the frame members 34 are pulled tightly together and clamped in the locking slots 73.

FIG. 15 illustrates the joinder of two prefabricated wall sections 30 to extend the length of a building wall. The wall sections 30 shown in FIG. 15 are aligned in the same vertical plane and have the flat planar surfaces 66 of the interconnected frame members 34 positioned perpendicularly to this vertical plane of alignment.

FIG. 16 illustrates the joinder of two prefabricated wall sections 30 to form two inside comers of a building structure. A frame member 34 is shown mounted to ex tend along and form part of one side surface of a wall section 30. The frame member 34 is illustrated mounted at a location between the wall section ends. The frame member 34 is shown'clamped by the clamp 42 around two closely spaced apart stud tubes 35 which are incorporated in the wall section 30. The frame member 34 on the end of another wall section 30 is in- 

1. A prefabricated wall section comprising a plurality of frame members connected together at their ends to form opposite edges of a wall section, a plurality of hollow stud tubes connected at their ends to opposite frame members and disposed parallel to others of said frame members, means comprising a plurality of clamps disposed along the length of each of a plurality of said hollow stud tubes for anchoring said tubes to an adjacent parallel frame member; opposite frame members paralleling said tubes being provided with complementary coupling means for connecting any two such sections together, and wall filler material cast in place within said frame members around said stud tubes and clamp means to define the walls of said wall section. 